This invention relates to a system for providing cooling for the detector in the guidance system of a missile.
To cool the detector in the guidance system for some missiles, a cryogenic refrigerator, such as shown in the patent to Doody, U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,000, is built into the nose cone of a missile. A heat pipe is used for transferring heat from the refrigerator crankcase to the skin of the missile.
If the missile skin temperature exceeds the crankcase temperature, the heat pipe is designed to become inoperative. If the heat pipe becomes inoperative due to a rise in skin temperature or due to a malfunction in the heat exchange mechanism, some means is necessary to limit the temperature of the crankcase so as to maintain cooling for the detector. If the crankcase temperature becomes too high, proper cooling of the detector cannot be maintained.